


Stay

by Murasameh



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Akashi is an Alpha, Angst and Romance, Aomine is an ass but he has Reasons okay, Hurt/Comfort, Kagami is a fucking angel, Kindergarten Teacher Kuroko Tetsuya, Kise is a Kurokocchi fanboy, Kise is here and yet not really here but he's here, M/M, Nigou is the most precious doggo, Ryou is a member of the Kuroko Protection Squad, Slow Burn, Wakamatsu senpai is an unwilling dad with two Precious kindergarten teachers to look after
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:08:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27633196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Murasameh/pseuds/Murasameh
Summary: A heart that has never known love and a heart that had been hurt in the worst possible way, when Akashi and Kuroko find their way to each other, can they make it work?
Relationships: Akashi Seijuurou/Kuroko Tetsuya, Aomine Daiki & Kise Ryouta, Aomine Daiki/Kuroko Tetsuya, Kagami Taiga & Kuroko Tetsuya, Kuroko Tetsuya & Tetsuya #2 | Nigou, Sakurai Ryou/Wakamatsu Kousuke
Comments: 7
Kudos: 35





	1. Prologue

Little, bright green leaves had sprouted up on the branches of the trees that lined the street. Down on the ground, there were still small white mounds of snow on the lawns and a few patches of white here and there on the sidewalk and on the road. Tiny yet colorful buds have grown on the flowering bushes and plants. All of these were signs of Spring, and yet the chill brought by the cold wind every time it blew made a young man of sky-colored hair and eyes shiver.

' _It's already March, why is it still freezing out here?'_

He hastened his pace into a brisk walk. As much as he wanted to just run home, he couldn't while balancing three big boxes of New York style pizza and a paper bag with a liquor store's logo containing a few cans of beer inside. When he finally got home, he got his key and ever so quietly unlocked the door, hoping his dog Nigou wouldn't notice. The last thing he needed was a full grown husky jumping on him in excitement while he's carrying all those things.

He had to bite back saying "I'm home" out of habit as soon as he got in. He made it to the kitchen safely, but just as he was a meter away from the dining table, he heard running footsteps coming in from the bedroom. He wondered if it was either because of the simple fact that Nigou was an animal, or because they've been living together for years now, but for some reason, Nigou was just completely immune to his lack of presence.

As he hurriedly set the pizza boxes and booze on the table, he looked back on the day's events. Kagami had called him earlier and said he had freed up his schedule to drive Kuroko to the airport, as the latter was to fly back to Japan the next day. Kuroko then invited him to come over for dinner as thanks, but most of his things were already either packed in boxes and sent to his parents' house in advance or given away. He had nothing else left at his place other than the furniture the apartment provides and the luggage he was going to bring on his flight, so he had to go out and buy dinner.

Nigou came running, and Kuroko was barely made it in time to say "Nigou, sit!" before the hyperactive dog jumped on him. Nigou was much bigger- and heavier- now, that Kuroko's lithe figure can no longer stand getting squashed by an adult dog. "Good boy", he ruffled the head of the sitting Nigou whose tail was happily wagging.

Then the doorbell rang.

"Ah, must be Kagami-kun."

He sauntered over to the door to open it and let his visitor in. As soon as Kagami closed the door, he barely even had time to take off his shoes at the entrance when he heard rapid thuds coming from the kitchen. Kuroko managed to step aside just in time, thanks to his sharp peripheral vision honed by his basketball days.

Kagami frantically waved his arms. "Wah! Nigou, si… Waugh!"

Too late. Nigou had already jumped right into Kagami, bringing them both down to the floor. "Owowow…"

Kuroko chuckled, earning a scowl from Kagami.

"Kuroko you bastard. You dodged, didn't you?! You dodged!" Kagami yelled accusingly.

Kuroko avoided Kagami's eyes. "Don't know what you're talking about."

Kagami got up, nursing his butt. "Still… can't believe this guy's grown so much since you two first came to America."

"That was five years ago, Kagami-kun. I'd be worried if he didn't."

"True…" Kagami then turned to Kuroko and gave him a long, hard stare. "Mm, good good" He grinned boyishly.

"What?" Kuroko asked with a clueless face.

"You look like you've also grown a bit. Well, can't really do anything about the height, but you look like you've gained a bit of weight at least. And your face certainly has much more color now, compared to when you first came. That time, you looked like the wind could easily blow you away."

Kuroko pouted. "Not a bit. I dare say I've gained a lot! My biceps look bigger now!" As if trying to prove it, he flexed said muscles.

"Whatever. I'm starved, let's eat!"

So the three went on to the living room, ate dinner and drank the night away. At least, Kagami did. Kuroko never did like the taste of beer, so he settled for the last thing he had on the fridge- a bottle of Calpis.

-x-

They got up long before sunrise the next day, as Kuroko's flight was in the morning. Kagami loaded the luggage to the trunk at the back of his German sports car while Nigou sat on the back seat. Kuroko took one last look at his apartment before switching off the lights and locking the door and handing the key over to Kagami.

"All yours."

"Yeah. I'll drop it off at the landlord's office on the way back. Let's go."

They got into the car and drove on. There wasn't much traffic on the roads, and when they got into the highway, there were still only a few cars so they were peacefully cruising along. The drive was so steady, Kuroko had started to feel himself nodding off.

"It's okay, you can sleep. You've been so busy with the preparations this past month, you probably haven't been getting enough rest. I'll wake you up when we get there."

"But"

"I'll be fine. You don't need to talk to me to keep me awake. Besides, your voice is so soft it will just make me sleepy." Kagami snorted.

"Idi… ot…"

And Kuroko conked out.

-x-

_It was so dark. He was feeling pain all over his body. His eyelids felt so heavy and numb, and even after ever so slowly getting them to open, everything around was blurred by the moisture in his eyes. Kuroko remembered this sensation all too well. And he also remembered that it was five years ago, which meant he was once again dreaming about the past._

_That time, Kuroko had just woken up at the hospital after being in a coma for months. He got hit by a car that was supposed to run over Aomine, who he pushed out of the way. Luckily, he had survived and was told that he had a good chance for a full recovery._

_When he started his rehabilitation sessions, Aomine helped him through it, knowing Kuroko drew strength from him, and he was the only reason Kuroko was working so hard to recover. They had been going out for years, and to Kuroko, he was someone he'd be willing to risk everything for, even his life._

_After he got discharged from the hospital, he went back with Aomine to the house they have been renting together since they got into university. However, Kuroko had started to notice that something was off. Aomine was taking good care of him and was being very supportive during his rehab and recovery, but there were times he avoided Kuroko's eyes and was being distant. Kuroko thought at first that maybe it was just guilt for being the cause of his accident, so he did everything he can to close the distance between him and his Light._

_And yet, it felt like the harder he tried to get closer, the farther Aomine pulled back from him._

_Eventually Kuroko discovered that Aomine had been going out with Kise. Their relationship, ironically, had started from the time when Kuroko got into an accident and fell into a coma. Aomine was in shambles, drowning in so much self-guilt. Not knowing when and if Kuroko will ever wake up, he was constantly on edge, dreading how he could lose his most important person anytime. Kise couldn't bear to see him like that, and helped Aomine get back up on his feet while he himself was still recovering from the hurt of losing Kuroko to Aomine back then, and was facing the possibility of losing his beloved Kurokocchi forever._

_Their relationship had evolved in the process of licking each other's wounds._

_At that point, the only reason Aomine was still staying with Kuroko was because he knew that if he was there, Kuroko will be motivated to recover. He was terrified of the consequences of what might happen should he let go of Kuroko at such a crucial time- and dreaded that Kuroko might just give up. Having lost the right to stay, Aomine left, his only consolation was having known Kuroko for such a long time- having known that his Shadow is a lot stronger than he seems._

_On that fateful night, without saying another word to each other, not even a final goodbye, Aomine walked out the door as Kuroko walked back into the bedroom-_ their _room- and collapsed on the bed-_ their _bed. As though the timing couldn't have been any worse, memories of their first time starting flooding into his mind._

_'Tetsu… Your hands are trembling. Are you scared?'_

_Kuroko laughed at himself derisively. He had given Aomine everything- his heart, his body, his very own life. And yet, it wasn't enough. He was still thrown away._

_Getting up from the bed where Aomine's scent lingered, he sat on the floor and hugged his knees. Looking around the room, his eyes fell on picture frames hung on the wall, of different shapes and sizes, with pictures of him, of Aomine, of their respective high school basketball teams, and of the two of them… happy, content, and together as if being by each other's side was their rightful place._

_Unable to bear looking at reminders of something that will never again be, he forced himself up, grabbed his crutches and went to the living room where his puppy Nigou was waiting. When he sat down on the sofa, Nigou climbed right up and sat beside him. As if waiting for permission, the little dog stared at him. Kuroko tapped on his lap, and Nigou saw this and sat on top of him. Kuroko carried Nigou into his arms and as soon as he felt the little one's warmth, something within him gave out and he hugged the dog close as he let his tears flow freely._

_By the time he stopped crying, he didn't know how much time had passed. It was already bright, and the rays of the sun were already filtering in through the gap in the curtains. He felt completely lost and didn't know what to do, but there was one thing he was sure of. He grabbed the phone and dialed a long distance number. A couple of rings later, the person on the other end of the line picked up._

_"Yo. It's been a while."_

_"Kagami-kun, if it's all right, I need to ask you a favor."_

-x-

"Kuroko, Kuroko. We're here."

Kuroko felt someone gently shaking his shoulders. He opened his eyes, and looking around him told him they were already inside the international airport's parking lot. He blinked and felt something slide down from his eyelid. His cheeks were wet, he was obviously crying in his sleep and was quietly grateful to Kagami for not bringing it up.

Kagami unloaded the luggage from the trunk of his car. He handed the handle over to Kuroko and smiled casually as he said, "Well, this is it. I won't go in anymore, it'll probably be hard for Nigou to say goodbye to you there. Don't miss him too much, mmkay? We'll be following you in a month."

"Thank you, Kagami-kun. That should be enough time for me to find a new place. Hopefully I'll have settled down by then."

Kuroko cupped Nigou's face and kissed his furry forehead. "I'll see you soon. Be nice to Kagami, okay?"

As if in response, Nigou barked.

He then turned to Kagami and said, with a very earnest face, "And Kagami-kun, please don't make any trouble for Nigou, okay?"

"Hey now! Isnt' it supposed to be the other way around?!" Kagami shot back. His face then turned serious as he asked "Say, if, you know, you want to stay longer… Just sayin', if you're not yet ready, you can still change your mind."

Kuroko shook his head. He couldn't run away forever. Besides, if there was one good thing that came out of that accident, it was the lesson that it taught him about how short life can be. In a matter of seconds, you could be hanging on to life by a very thin, fragile thread.

"Thank you for everything, Kagami-kun. See ya." He said, as his face relaxed into a smile. He slung his backpack on, grabbed his luggage, turned around and started heading for the parking elevators, pulling his bag along.

After dropping off his checked luggage, he went straight to the boarding gate. The boy sitting next to him was playing with his PSP. Beside the boy, he noticed crutches.

' _Just like me, that time…'_ Kuroko thought to himself.

-x-

_After he decided to go to America and called Kagami to find a place for him, Kuroko went to renew his passport on that very same day. He didn't want to waste another second. He wanted to leave right away- leave his past, his country and everything behind. While he was sorting through his papers, the passport slid from his hand. Still in crutches and not even halfway done with his physiotherapy sessions, the simple task of picking it up was a huge ordeal for him. Luckily, somebody came and picked it up for him._

" _Here."_

" _Thank you so…"_

_Kuroko's eyes widened when he saw the face of the one who had helped him. The intensity of his bright crimson eyes and matching hair has not changed at all._

" _Akashi-kun."_

" _Long time no see, Tetsuya" Akashi greeted him with a relaxed smile._

 _It turned out that his shogi competition was to be held in that same building, so he was checking it out. After Kuroko was done, he was surprised to find Akashi waiting for him outside. His former captain said the last time he had seen Kuroko he was still in the hospital, so he wanted to catch up and chat. They went to a nearby café, where Kuroko told Akashi of his plans to go abroad. Akashi then asked when he was leaving, then up and offered- more like_ decided _\- to drive him to the airport. Kuroko refused at first, but Akashi easily shot it down by simply pointing out that he couldn't possibly dream of lugging around his baggage while still in crutches from Tokyo all the way to Narita airport._

_Kuroko could only meekly stay quiet. Akashi was right. Besides, there was no way he'd have the money to pay for a taxi from his house down to the airport. Especially not after refusing to take money from Aomine who wanted to keep paying his share of the rent even after he left Kuroko, who was still paying for his medical bills._

_On the day of his departure, Akashi and his driver picked him up from his house and took him to the airport. After checking the bags in, he went with Kuroko up until the furthest point he can accompany him to._

" _Well then, have a safe flight. Let me know when you're back."_

" _I will. Thank you very much, Akashi-kun"_

_Kuroko tried to but couldn't really bow as much in his crutches. He straightened himself up and settled for a smile instead. But after everything that had happened, he highly doubted his smile didn't look too forced, especially to someone like Akashi who had a keen sight._

_Akashi simply stared wordlessly at him. Kuroko was starting to think he would get scolded by his former captain. What he didn't expect, however, was Akashi closing the short gap between them and putting his arms around him._

" _Take care of yourself, Tetsuya" He said softly._

_Kuroko could only stand there, unmoving within his arms. He was surprised, confused, speechless… He didn't really remember much of what happened after that. What he did remember, up until this very day years later, was the warmth of Akashi's hug and how safe and secure he felt back then._

-x-

Kuroko smiled fondly at the memory. Even if it was just for a moment, he was thankful to Akashi for being there at a time he was most unsteady. He took out his tablet and started to type an email to let him know he was coming back.


	2. Chapter 1

Kuroko woke up with a sneeze. Keeping his eyes closed hoping to get just five more minutes of sleep, he rolled over to his side and fumbled for the warm body he had grown used to having by his side. Not finding it, he absently called out "Nigou…"

In his half awake, half asleep state he remembered with disappointment that the one he was calling was not there. Shivering, he pulled his legs closer and curled up under the sheets as he pulled the comforter closer to his body. Just as he could feel himself drifting back to sleep, the alarm clock on his bedside table rang. Grunting, he forced himself to get up and with eyelids barely open he got out of bed.

It had been three weeks since he came back from America. He considered himself extremely lucky to have found an apartment right away thanks to Akashi's help, so he was able to move in and get settled in no time. Just half an hour after he sent the email to Akashi that he was coming back while waiting for his flight, he was pleasantly surprised to receive a reply. Akashi asked where he was going to stay, so Kuroko wrote back to him that he was originally planning to stay at his parents' house at first, however, he got a job offer from a newly opened private kindergarten in Tokyo just days before his flight, which meant he had to find a place there.

Kagami had offered his Tokyo apartment, since both he and his father were abroad anyway, but Kuroko refused. Kagami had already done so much for him while he was in America. So for the time being, Kuroko had decided to stay at a business hotel until he found an apartment to rent. Akashi then mentioned that there was a vacant unit in the same building where he lives whenever he's in Tokyo on business, and if Kuroko wanted, he could take care of the paperwork for him.

Of course Kuroko refused, not wanting to trouble his former captain especially after not seeing him for so long.

Of course Akashi would have none of it, reminding Kuroko how hard it was to find a place in Tokyo in case he had forgotten something so basic after being abroad for years. Besides, it was no trouble at all. If anything, living there would mean added business for him as it actually belonged to Akashi Group of Companies.

With a sigh then a grateful smile, Kuroko gave in and accepted Akashi's offer.

He stretched and reluctantly dragged his feet to the washroom. Looking at his reflection in the mirror and blankly staring at his fabulously messy bed head, he let out another yawn. The last three weeks have been very busy with finalizing his apartment rental contract- which went smoothly thanks to Akashi's help- as well as unpacking his things and getting his new home ready. Today, he had planned to take it easy and relax, as tomorrow he will officially be a preschool teacher.

-x-

As soon as he stepped out of his apartment, he knew where he wanted to go. There was a bookstore he used to frequent, which happened to be not so far from where he now lives. It was a couple of stops by train, but on a good day like this, would be close enough to just walk. So he decided to put on a decently thick hoodie as it was still relatively cold in the morning.

The bookstore was at the ground floor of an old two-story building, as evidenced by the graffiti and paint chipping off at some parts of the wall. The store itself was small, and had a proportionately tiny entrance. Kuroko laughed at the memory of Kagami always hitting his head against the doorframe back when they were in high school and would always complain to him, and why he had to go to this store of all places.

Kuroko then told him that because it was located on a rather quiet side street off of a busy bigger street, this bookstore was very easy for people to miss. However, it was also thanks to this that the customers here were all regulars, simply because the books that get sold out right away on more popular stores were most likely to still be here. Kuroko was one of them, and to the little bookworm, this place was a castle filled with treasures.

His face lit up into a smile when he arrived and saw that the place was still there. The simple, varnished wooden sign above bearing the store's name and their trademark logo- a flying squirrel, the small glass door that rang the glass wind chimes above it when you came in, the familiar smell of books and all other print materials, and the familiar voice that greeted "Welcome!" were all so nostalgic.

The old man- one of the elderly couple who own and run the store- who was arranging some books at the counter stopped to look at him. For a moment, Kuroko thought he was being stared at until another customer came to the front to pay for his books. He wondered if the he recognized Kuroko, then Kuroko shook his head. It couldn't be. After all, despite the size of the store it had a fair amount of regulars and there was no way he would remember someone like Kuroko who was just as unnoticeable as their shop, especially after having been away for many years.

Kuroko went straight to the detective novels shelves and it was where he remembered it to be. Forty-five minutes later, he had a dozen novels in his arms. And he was only on one shelf. He had to tell himself to stop, or else he would be taking a taxi home because of books that were impossible to carry. With a slight pout on his lips, he made his way to the counter, consoling himself with the thought that it was only walking distance from his place.

As the old man finished ringing in his books- Kuroko took out some bills and handed him the money.

"I was wondering when I saw you come in, it really is you, Mr. Young Detective"

Kuroko looked up with wide eyes, only to see the familiar face with a warm smile.

"Yes, the young man who always came here to buy detective novels after school as soon as new books are out and always left this tiny store with a very happy look on his face. It has been a while, hasn't it?"

Flustered and happy all at the same time, Kuroko let out a little sheepish grin.

"Yes, it has been a while, Mr. Owner. I'm surprised you remember me, the last time I came here was five years ago. I went overseas, and I came back just recently."

"I see. Well, five years isn't a long time if you have been around as long as I have. Actually, I wasn't sure at first, but when I saw you head straight for the detective novel section and came to me with some of the familiar titles, I knew for sure it was you."

"Yes… I wanted to catch up with the volumes I missed while I was gone. And I found some new ones that looked interesting too."

"And you picked out some good ones! Enjoy your books. Come again!"

Excited to read his new novels, Kuroko walked out of the store feeling as if he was up in the clouds. He made a quick stop at Maji Burger to grab his favorite vanilla shake and went straight home. He hurriedly took his shoes off at the entryway, set his vanilla shake down on the bedside table, and jumped to bed. With a bag of new books beside him, he knew exactly how to spend the rest of the day.

-x-

_Clank, clank, clank. The sound of his feet landing on metal steps resounded through the moonlit night as he climbed up the rickety stairs in an abandoned building. When he reached the landing, there was a silhouette of a man leaning against the concrete wall. Said man propped himself up and walked towards him._

" _You found out. I never doubted you would, Shino…"_

_As he was coming closer the light of the moon coming in from the broken windows illuminated his face. He had dark skin, short hair, and blue eyes that, from far away, looked almost as if they were black. His cocky grin looked just like…_

" _Aomine… kun…"_

-x-

Kuroko jolted awake when his phone rang. He looked around, confused, until seeing the book on his lap and the empty cup of vanilla shake refreshed him. He then remembered that as soon as he got home he dove straight into one of his new books. At some point he fell asleep, and the dream he just had was from a scene in the novel where the detective, Shino, goes to confront the witness who had been pretending all this time and was actually the one behind all the killings.

He picked up his phone to see who the message was from, grateful to whoever it was that messaged him for waking him up at that point. After all, in the scene that followed, Shino was going to get shot. He hadn't read far enough in the novel to see if Shino lived or not, but Kuroko certainly did not want to get shot even if it was just as Shino nor even if it was just a dream. Especially not by Aomine.

No, _a serial killer who looks like Aomine-kun_ , he corrected himself. The description of the culprit's physical appearance in the novel overlapped with Aomine's. Tanned skin, dark blue eyes, and to make things more interesting, he was Shino's best friend. It did not take long for Kuroko to synch with Shino's emotional conflict, especially when his best friend betrayed his trust.

Kuroko shook his head. He should not let himself get this affected. It was just a novel, after all.

He clicked on the message icon on his phone and opened the first unread text. Upon seeing the name, Kuroko's eyes widened at first, and then his face relaxed into a smile. It was from Akashi.

/Tetsuya.

I am going back to Kyoto tomorrow.

If there's anything else you need, tell me now./

Kuroko did not have to think. He already knew what he wanted to say. He just wondered if he would get the response he was hoping for.

/Akashi-kun.

If you haven't had dinner yet, and if you have time, please let me treat you.

It's thanks for helping me move in.

Let me do at least this much./

A few minutes later, Kuroko's phone rang again. He leapt out of bed and, as he was getting ready, thought of places where he could go for dinner. Someplace both he and Akashi would like.

/Fine.

I'll be at the lobby in half an hour.

Don't be late./

-x-

"I'm quite amazed you found this place. I've been back and forth between here and Kyoto for the past few years and this is the first time I've been here."

Akashi spoke offhandedly as he was going through the menu.

"Yes, their food is really good. And because of the location, it never gets very crowded here. It's more relaxing to eat."

They went to an _izakaya_ that made very good grilled eel. The place was at the basement level of a building located on a quiet street far from the station and busy areas. But just like his favorite bookstore, Kuroko seemed to have a knack for finding places that were very easy to miss. It's not as if they were especially hiding, it's just that one would have to look extra harder to notice they were even there… just like Kuroko himself.

"I'm surprised you picked an izakaya though. Do you drink now, Tetsuya?"

"Not really. Once in a while I get Calpis chuhai, but most of the time I just get iced oolong tea when I come here. But Akashi-kun, they have your favorite sake."

"You remember."

Akashi's tone was gentle. With the fond smile on his face, Kuroko wondered if he was also feeling as nostalgic as he was. Before his accident, Kuroko and his Teikou teammates met up for drinking parties every now and then. Back then, he remembered that there was one particular sake that Akashi liked. But because it was rare, more often than not it would be sold out by the time they ordered.

"Yes, the owner said it also gets sold out really fast here, so I called them earlier today to let him know we're coming and save some for us."

"And you called just in time. We were down to the last one." A baritone voice came from behind him before a bottle of warm sake was placed on the table, then he continued, "Of course, not wanting to make us feel troubled, this young lad kindly said that since it's the last one, if someone were to order before you arrive, we don't have to hold back. Luckily, no one did, so as soon as you two came in, I got it ready for your table right away."

"Thank you", Kuroko nodded to the owner.

"Not at all. Enjoy", he nodded back.

Kuroko heard Akashi chuckle as soon as the owner left.

"Akashi-kun?"

Looking straight into his eyes, Akashi grinned.

"That side of you hasn't changed."

"Hm?" Kuroko looked at him curiously, head tilting to one side.

"Let's eat. I don't think grilled eel would taste as good when it gets cold."

Curious but choosing not to think too deeply into it, Kuroko ate and Akashi leisurely drank his sake. Seeing his satisfied smile, Kuroko felt he did a good job in choosing this place. It made him happy to see the usually uptight Akashi unwind.

When they were done, Kuroko went to pay their bill as promised while Akashi went out ahead of him. As he was walking past wooden tables to the cashier, Kuroko heard voices that sounded familiar from one of the booths. He froze right in front of the cashier when he recognized them.

"Ryo, I keep telling you, you'll be fine. How many times do I have to say it?"

"I'm sorry, Wakamatsu-senpai. I'm really sorry. It's just, whenever I think about it, I get so nervous! What if I mess up?! It's my first day tomorrow at work after all."

"If you stay all panicky like that then of course you'll mess up! Just relax, geez…"

"I'm sorry…"

From the heated voice of one and the constant apologizing of the other, there was no mistake. Kuroko knew for sure those were Wakamatsu and Sakurai of Touou Academy's basketball team. Aomine's former teammates. He wondered who else was there. He wondered… if _he_ was there.

"Um… sir?"

When the cashier's voice nudged him back to reality, Kuroko quickly paid and went outside to where Akashi was waiting.

"Tetsuya, what's wrong? You look pale."

Kuroko wasn't surprised at the question. The way he was feeling inside, there was no way it would not show. More importantly, there was absolutely no way Akashi's eyes would miss it. Not him of all people.

"Sorry, Akashi-kun."

Akashi simply closed his eyes and walked on. Kuroko understood that if he wasn't ready to talk about it, Akashi had no intention to push, and that was something Kuroko was very thankful for. Right now, he just wanted to get home and sleep. And forget.

It was a fifteen-minute walk to the closest station, and another fifty minutes ride back to their apartment building, and in all that time not a single word passed between them. Kuroko fell asleep at one point, something he didn't realize until Akashi shook him awake when they got to their stop. The walk back to their apartment was quiet as well. It wasn't until they got into the elevator when Akashi spoke.

"Which reminds me, have you been to the rooftop?"

"No", Kuroko shook his head.

"Then, as thanks for treating me to dinner, come with me. I have something to show you."

He pushed the rooftop level button which lit up, and with a soft buzz the elevator doors closed. They kept going up for a few minutes until a soft 'ding' signaled they have arrived. The doors opened to a lobby, smaller and different from the one on the ground floor, and right in front of it were glass sliding doors leading to a rooftop garden.

"We don't open it to the residents until late Spring when most of the flowering plants have bloomed, so there won't be anyone else up here. This is where I come when I want some quiet time."

Akashi punched in some numbers on a code lock then Kuroko heard a soft click. When they got close enough to the sliding doors, it automatically opened, giving them access to the garden. There were tiny sprouts on the branches of trees as well as the bushes. Kuroko could easily imagine their fresh green colors must be so vibrant and bright during daytime. They walked past a round marble fountain towards a terrace where a panoramic view of the city's night lights took his breath away.

The thought of almost running into Touou's former members, and just the mere possibility of seeing Aomine again affected him. He knew it would, he just did not expect how much. Even now, his hands were still shaking.

But as they stood there in silence, side by side, and simply looked on until Kuroko lost track of time, his shaking slowly subsided until it was gone. Before long, all he could see was the scenery before him, all he could hear was the sound of the fountain, and all he could feel was the presence of the person beside him.

Just as he had done before, Akashi was, once again, there for Kuroko at a time he felt unsteady.

' _I bet Akashi-kun has no idea though'_ , Kuroko thought, as the beginnings of a smile graced his lips.

-x-

TBC


End file.
